However, being a mother and a daughter myself, it is never too late to discuss the importance and appreciation of mothers.

My mother passed away about seven years ago, and I still think about her weekly, especially when I am attending one of my children’s events.

My oldest child is graduating, and I think how she would be so proud.

My youngest daughter will be singing in an upcoming spring concert, and I think how my mother would have loved to hear it.

My middle daughter is playing softball, and my mom loved watching any type of ball.

It was recently grandparents day at my children’s school. My mother cherished these observances, and adored going to my children’s classrooms and visiting with the other grandparents.

As I am preparing for my son’s graduation party, I have thought about how my mother would have been helping prep the food  cutting the buns, slicing tomatoes, and just plain giving me motherly advice on how much to prep and serve, etc. Mothers are the best.

Recently, I received a major compliment from my daughter, and she did not even realize how much it meant to me.

She was talking about the parents of an acquaintance of hers, and how negative the parents are with their child. The teen avoids her parents, and does not want to be around them.

She then went on to convey that she likes being around her parents (that being my husband and I), and does not feel that way about us. Now, that is pretty good for a teenage girl to confess.

My daughter also told me that she loves getting text messages from me. It makes her feel good. That is a warm fuzzy, and the best Mothers Day gift I could receive, I told her so, and I received it graciously.

Children’s happiness and well-being are at the forefront of a mother’s hopes and thoughts.

We want our children to grow up and be happy, contributing members of society. We want them to feel that they are loved and important. We want them to work hard, have time for play and rest, and have meaningful relationships. This is what brings true happiness and joy. We know this.

Abraham Lincoln said, “I remember my mother’s prayers, and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.”

I always say prayers for my children. You can do your work and influence them, and as they grow, you have to let them go more and more. This means watching them fall and get up, blunder and make mistakes, and recover, grow, and learn. It is an ongoing process in life.

So, I send them out each day with a prayer in my heart for each one of my children, for their safety, security, resilience, and happiness.

I always want my children to know that they are loved.

My own mother (and father) showed such love for me, and that has always stayed with me, and always will.

My mother’s love remains, and that is what I want for my own children.